A 20-year-old Staten Island man has been arrested on assault charges for allegedly throwing hot coffee onto an MTA bus driver's face when he was asked to put on a face covering in accordance with COVID rules, officials said.
Alexander Lopez allegedly refused to put on a mask when the driver asked him to put on a mask when he boarded near Jewett and Castleton avenues around 8:15 a.m. Thursday, police said. Lopez, still maskless, went to the back of the bus.
When the 55-year-old driver confronted him, Lopez allegedly threw the coffee into his face, causing an injury. He also allegedly pushed the driver to the ground, hurting the driver's right knee. The driver was taken to a hospital.
Information on a possible attorney for Lopez wasn't immediately available Friday.
Refusal to comply with mask requirements alone can come with a daily fine of up to $1,000, under new COVID restrictions implemented across the city this week.
